Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 120

Pre-Long Beach Auction

Roman Republican

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1087		Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius. Silver Denarius (3.52 g), 81 BC. Military mint with Sulla�s army in northern Italy. Diademed head of Pietas right; to right, stork standing right. Reverse: Q C M P I, Elephant standing left within laurel wreath. Crawford 374/1; Sydenham 750; Caecilia 43. Attractive light toning and unusually well centered. NGC Photo certificate grade XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $300 - UP Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius came from one of the most important and wealthiest families of Rome. Beginning in the 3rd century BC, his family held numerous consulships, tribunates, censorships and military commands. His father, Q. Caecilius Metellus Numidicus, was the chief commander in the Jugurthine War in Numidia until Marius displaced him, and was later censor until driven into exile by Marius. The obverse of this coin portrays the goddess Pietas and alludes to the moneyer's cognomen, Pius. The moneyer acquired the honorable title from the people of Rome, whom he had beseeched in order to secure the restoration from exile of his father. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $384
Lot 1088		L. Procilius. Silver Denarius (3.95 g), 80 BC. Rome. S C behind, Laureate head of Jupiter right. Reverse: L PROCILI F, Juno Sospita advancing right, hurling spear and holding shield decorated with thunderbolt; serpent to right. Crawford 379/1; Sydenham 771; Procilia 1. A superb example, lustrous and lightly toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $250 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $360
Lot 1089		L. Papius. Silver Denarius (4.21 g), 79 BC. Rome. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat's skin headdress; behind, spindle. Reverse: L PAPI in exergue, griffin sprining right; below, distaff. Crawford 384/1 (symbols 94); Sydenham 773; Papia 1. Delicately toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $250 - UP Although the moneyer is unknown except for his coins, the coins are very popular with collectors for the interesting controls they display, which according to Crawford "are no more than a random selection of pairs of everyday objects" (p. 399). Papius used two related symbols, one on the obverse die, the other on the reverse, to keep track of production and to control losses amongst the slaves at the mint. Nearly all pairs of controls only have one set of dies. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $696
Lot 1090		Cn. Egnatius Maxsumus. Silver Denarius (3.85 g), 76 BC. Rome. MAXSVMVS behind, diademed and draped bust of Libertas right; behind, pileus. Reverse: C EGN(AT)IVS CN F in exergue, CN N to right, Roma and Venus standing facing, each holding scepter; rudder on prow on either side; in left field, G. Crawford 391/3; Sydenham 787; Egnatia 2. Delicately toned. NGC Photo certificate grade XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5 Our grade is Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $250 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $252
Lot 1091		Mn. Aquillius. Silver Denarius (3.83 g), 65 BC. Rome. III VIR behind, VIRTVS before, helmeted and draped bust of Virtus right. Reverse: (MN) AQV[IL] (MN) F (MN) N, SICIL in exergue, the consul Man. Aquillius standing left, head right, raising a prostrate Sicilia before him, and holding shield. Crawford 401/1; Sydenham 798; Aquillia 2. Lightly toned. NGC Photo certificate grade XF; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $250 - UP The types on this denarius recall the virtue of the moneyer's grandfather, Manius Aquillius, who diligently quelled the slave revolt in Sicily (104-101 BC) that had defied three earlier governors. In 104 BC, the consul Marius took command in Gaul to subdue the Cimbri and Teutones, and the Senate granted him permission to request troops from Rome's allies so that he might pursue the war. When he asked Nikomedes of Bithynia for troops, the king responded that he had none to spare as most of his men had been seized by Roman tax farmers as slaves. The Senate then decreed that no citizen of allied states could be held in slavery to serve in Rome's provinces, and instructed the praetors to see to their liberation.In Sicily, the Roman governor P. Licinius Nerva freed about 800 slaves, but then a group of influential landowners and wealthy elites convinced the governor to desist. The slaves who had not yet been freed stole away from the farms in open revolt. Licinius initially pursued these slaves and inflicted a serious defeat upon them, but when he failed to follow up his victory this emboldened other slaves in the province and the revolt quickly escalated. Soon there was a slave army of 40,000 ravaging the province, inflicting severe havoc on the Roman forces sent to pursue them.All this changed in 101 BC with the arrival of the moneyer's ancestor, the governor Manius Aquillius. He quickly wore down the slave army, reducing their strongholds to rubble and killing many. He defeated their leader in single combat in a notable battle, although he himself suffered a serious head wound. After recovering, he quickly mopped up further resistance and pacified the province. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $360
Lot 1092		L. Torquatus. Silver Denarius (3.89 g), 58 BC. Rome. SIBVLLA below, head of Sibyl right, wreathed with ivy; all within dotted border. Reverse: L TORQVAT III VIR, tripod surmounted by an amphora between two stars; all within torque. Crawford 411/1b; Sydenham 835; Manlia 12. Beautiful fine artistic style with lovely old cabinet toning. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch VF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Edge cut. Our grade is Extremely Fine (we cannot find an "edge cut"). Estimated Value $500 - UP The obverse and reverse types of this coin represent the mythical Sibyl of Cumae and her gift of prophecy. Prophecies attributed to her were written down in the so-called Sibylline books and stored in the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter so that they could be consulted in times of emergency. The torque that surrounds the reverse type refers back to the famous ancestor of L. Torquatus, T. Manlius, who received the family agnomen (nickname) Torquatus for his bravery in 361 BC. According to Roman tradition, a Gaul of great size and strength challenged the Roman army to settle the differences between their people in a duel of champions. Manlius, though small in stature, accepted the challenge and managed to kill the giant Gaul and claimed the golden torque around his neck as a trophy. Ever since that day he and his descendants were known as Torquati (literally "those with torques"). Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,480
Lot 1093		M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus. Silver Denarius (3.78 g), 57 BC. Uncertain mint. Yuouthful male (Bonus Eventus?) bust right; behind, uncertain symbol. Reverse: M PLAETORI CEST EX S C, winged caduceus. Crawford 405/5; Sydenham 807; Plaetoria 5. Luster is present and lightly toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Edge marks. Estimated Value $250 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $504
Lot 1094		M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus. Silver Denarius (3.84 g), 57 BC. Rome. CESTIANVS behind, S C before, winged bust of Vacuna right, wearing crested helmet, bow and quiver at shoulder; below chin, cornucopiae. Reverse: [M] PLAETORIVS M F AED CVR, eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head left. Crawford 409/1; Sydenham 809; Plaetoria 4. Nicely toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch VF; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 5/5. Our grade Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $250 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $240
Lot 1095		Faustus Cornelius Sulla. Silver Denarius (3.75 g), 56 BC. Rome. FAVSTVS, diademed and draped bust of Diana right; above, crescent; behind, lituus. Reverse: FELIX, Sulla seated left on raised platform between King Bocchus of Mauretania on left, presenting him with wreath, and King Jugurta of Numidia on right, hands bound behind him, both kneeling. Crawford 426/1; Sydenham 879; Cornelia 59. Unusually well struck on a nice broad flan. Probably wiped long ago with a jewler's cloth and some light graffito noted on the reverse below the chair. Lightly toned and very scarce. NGC Photo certificate grade XF; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. Edge cut. Estimated Value $500 - UP The moneyer of this coin was the son of the dictator Sulla. The reverse commemorates one of the most important events of his father's early career: the capture of Jugurtha. Jugurtha was a Numidian prince who had served in the Roman auxiliary cavalry, but who had come to blows with the Romans. Metellus Numidicus was given command to defeat Jugurtha, but Jugurtha was proving a wily adversary and through several campaigning seasons Numidicus was unable to defeat him. In 107 BC one of his legates, Marius, who disagreed with Numidicus' strategy for prosecuting the war, gained the consulship and also command in Numidia. However, Jugurtha was proving just as slippery for Marius as he had been for Numidicus. One of Marius' junior officers was Sulla, and he managed to capture Jugurtha through a ruse. He invited both Jugurtha and Bocchus, the King of Mauretania and Jugurtha's father-in-law, to a meeting. In advance of the meeting he had convinced Bocchus to betray Jugurtha, and when Jugurtha arrived unarmed his attendants were ambushed and Jugurtha was captured. Bocchus immediately handed him over to Sulla. Sulla had a signet ring engraved showing the event, and the reverse of this coin may be a direct copy of that signet ring. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,440
Lot 1096		Faustus Cornelius Sulla. Silver Denarius (3.93 g), 56 BC. Rome. S C behind, Youthful head of Hecules right, wearing lion's skin headdress. Reverse: Globe surrounded by corona civica above and wreaths on either side and below; aplustre and grain ear flanking below. Crawford 426/4a; Sydenham 882; Cornelia 61. Delicately toned with traces of luster present. NGC Photo certificate grade AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5. Scratches. Estimated Value $400 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $870
Lot 1097		P. Fonteius P. f. Capito. Silver Denarius (3.92 g), 55 BC. Rome. P FONTEIVS P F CAPITO III VIR, helmeted and draped bust of Mars right, trophy over shoulder. Reverse: (MN) FO(NT) TR MIL, soldier on horseback rearing right, thrusting his spear at a Gallic enemy who is about to slay an unarmed person; to lower right, helmet and shield. Crawford 429/1; Sydenham 900; Fonteia 17. Unusually well centered. Lustrous and delicately toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $250 - UP The reverse commemorates a valorous deed of one Manius Fonteius, but the precise circumstances are lost to us. Both Crawford and Harl suggest he may have served under another ancestor, Marcus Fonteius, who was governor of Gallia Narbonesis from 76-73 BC. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $408
Lot 1098		C. Coelius Caldus. Silver Denarius (3.82 g), 53 BC. Rome. C COEL CALDVS, COS below, head of the consul C. Coelius Caldus right; behind, tablet inscribed L D. Reverse: CALDVS III VIR, radiate head of Sol right; behind, oval shield; before, round shield; in left field, S. Crawford 437/1b; Sydenham 892; Coelia 5. Outstanding portrait of the consul. Pleasing old cabinet tone. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Estimated Value $500 - UP C. Coelius Caldus issued two coin types during his tenure as moneyer, and both depict on the obverse the head of his namesake ancestor who was the first of his family to attain the consulship. Toynbee noted the extremely realistic rendering of the portrait and thought it must have been based on an original portrait (J. M. C. Toynbee, Roman Historical Portraits, p. 21). In Rome, nobles were entitled to display images (imagines) of ancestors in the atrium of the family house, and these were either sculptures, more often, death masks molded directly from the face of the deceased. The superb lifelike rendering of the portrait of the consul C. Coelius Caldus on this coin indicates that perhaps his death mask served as the model used by the die engravers for this issue. Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $600
Lot 1099		P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. Silver Denarius (3.70 g), 50 BC. Rome. MARCELLINVS before, bare head of the consul M. Claudius Marcellus right; behind, triskeles. Reverse: MARCELLVS [C]OS QVINQ, M. Claudius Marcellus, veiled and togate, carrying trophy right toward tetrastyle temple. Crawford 439/1; Sydenham 1147; Claudia 11. Well struck and nicely toned. A wonderful portrait of the consul. Very scarce. NGC Photo certificate grade XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Test cuts. Estimated Value $500 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $840
Lot 1100		T. Carisius. Silver Denarius (3.89 g), 46 BC. Rome. MONETA behind, draped bust of Juno Moneta right. Reverse: T CARISIVS, coining tools: tongs, anvil with garlanded die above, and hammer; all within wreath tied at the top. Crawford 464/2; HCRI 70; Sydenham 982a; Carisia 1a. Some light porosity noted. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. Our grade is Very Fine. Estimated Value $250 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $432
Lot 1101		P. Clodius M.f. Turrinus. Silver Denarius (3.79 g), 42 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, lyre. Reverse: P CLODIVS on right, M F on left, Diana Lucifera standing facing, head right, bow and quiver at shoulder, holding long lighted torch in each hand. Crawford 494/23; HCRI 184; Sydenham 1117; Claudia 15. Nicely toned. NGC Photo certificate grade Ch XF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimated Value $400 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $384
Lot 1102		Roman Republic. Silver Denarii 4-piece lot. Consists of: 136 BC C. Servilius M.f., Sear 116; 134 BC C. Aburius Geminus, Sear 121; 119 BC M. Furius L.f. Philus, Sear 156; 104 BC L. Appuleius Saturninus, Sear 193. All nicely toned. All Very Fine or better. Estimated Value $350 - UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $552
Lot 1103		Roman Republic. Silver Denarii 4-piece lot. Consists of: 113/112 BC P Licinius Nerva, Sear 169; 113/112 BC L. Marcius Philippus, Sear 170; 108/107 BC M. Herennius, Sear 185; 106 BC L. Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, Sear 188. All lightly toned. Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,080
Lot 1104		Roman Republic. Silver Denarii 3-piece lot. Consists of: 97 BC L. Pomponius Molo, Sear 214; 90 BC C. Vibius C.f. Pansa, Sear 242; 89 BC M. Porcius Cato, Sear 247. All delicately toned. All Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $840
Lot 1105		Roman Republic. Silver Denarii 4-piece lot. Consists of: 88 BC Anonymous, Sear 266; 82 BC L. Cornelius Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus, Sear 287; 82 or 80 BC, M. Caecilius Q.f. Metellus, Sear 293; 67 BC C. Calpurnius Piso L.F. Ferugi, Sear 348. All are lightly toned. All Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $990
Lot 1106		Roman Republic. Silver Denarii 3-piece lot. Consists of: 82 BC L. Marcius Censorinus, scrape on face, Sear 281; 81 BC Serratus, A. Postumius A.f. S.n. Albinus, Sear 296; 81 BC Anonymous Sear 303. Each lightly toned. Mostly Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $810
Lot 1107		A Trio of Roman Republican Silver Denarii. Consists of the following: M. Volteius M.f. 78 BC, Sear 312; Craw. 285/a; L. Farsuleius Mensor, 75 BC, Sear 329; Craw. 392/1b; C. Postumius Ta, 74 BC, Sear 330; Craw. 394/1. Very Fine to Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $500 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $690
Lot 1108		A Trio of Scarcer Roman Republican Silver Denarii. Consists of: L. Cassius Q.f. Longinus, 78 BC, Sear 316, Craw. 385/5; L. Cossutius C.F. Sabula, 74 BC, Sear 331, Craw. 395/1; M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus, 69 BC, Sear 341, Craw. 405/2. Fine to Very Fine. Estimated Value $500 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,200
Lot 1109		A Trio of Roman Republican Silver Denarii. Consists of the following: C. Naevius Balus, 79 BC, Sear 309, Naevia 6-6b; Ti. Claudius Ti.f. Apn. Nero, 79 BC, Sear 310, Craw. 383/1; Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, 75-75 BC, Sear 324, Craw. 393/1b. Each lightly toned. All Very Fine or better. Estimated Value $400 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $480
Lot 1110		A Trio of Popular Republican Types. Consists of the following Silver Denarii: C. Hosidius C.f. Geta, 68 BC. Sear 346, Craw. 407/2; L. Furius Cn. f. Brocchus, 63 BC. Sear 365, Craw. 414/1; M. Nonius Sufenas, 59 BC, Sear 377, Craw. 421/1. Each lightly toned. All Choice Very Fine or better. Estimated Value $500 - UP Ex The William Oldknow Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $840